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hutchibk · 09-17-2007, 01:15 PM

Sorry to digress Pink -
* Tri-weekly charges from my cancer center to insurance for Herceptin alone (with the anti-emitics, streroids, benadryl, etc, etc) were apx $7000 usd.
*Taxol/Herceptin, tri-weekly charges were apx $11,000 usd.
*Taxol/Carbo/Herceptin tri-weekly charges were apx $17,000 usd.
*Tri-weekly labs and Dr. visit co-pays range between apx $200 - $500 usd.
*Aranesp is apx $4000 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins.
*Neulasta is apx $6500 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins.
*I think one month of Xeloda is apx $3500 usd - which is provided to me through an access program
*I think one month of Tykerb is apx $5000 usd - which is provided to me through an access program
*Day surgery to put in new port was apx $6000 usd. (then add anesth & surgeon fees)
*I can't remember what my mastectomy and reconstruction costs were 3 1/2 years ago, but I am guessing about $20,000 usd +.

Just to explain the 'Blame Canada' and SouthPark - it is an adult cartoon here in the US where the ficitonal characters (Stan, Cartman, Kyle, Kenny - all about 7 years old going on 40) got mad at the fictional Canadian govt for fictionally prosecuting their favorite fictional Canadian TV stars (for what I can't remember), Terrence and Phillip (who are flatulently profound and just totally goofy) - and wrote a song called 'Blame Canada'.... it is an absurd and often quite hilarious TV show... so no direct offense was intended from me to you or Canada. It was a direct reference to South Park.

09-17-2007, 01:15 PM	#10
hutchibk Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 3,519	Sorry to digress Pink - * Tri-weekly charges from my cancer center to insurance for Herceptin alone (with the anti-emitics, streroids, benadryl, etc, etc) were apx $7000 usd. Taxol/Herceptin, tri-weekly charges were apx $11,000 usd. Taxol/Carbo/Herceptin tri-weekly charges were apx $17,000 usd. Tri-weekly labs and Dr. visit co-pays range between apx $200 - $500 usd. Aranesp is apx $4000 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins. Neulasta is apx $6500 usd as charged by my ca cntr to ins. I think one month of Xeloda is apx $3500 usd - which is provided to me through an access program I think one month of Tykerb is apx $5000 usd - which is provided to me through an access program Day surgery to put in new port was apx $6000 usd. (then add anesth & surgeon fees) I can't remember what my mastectomy and reconstruction costs were 3 1/2 years ago, but I am guessing about $20,000 usd +. Just to explain the 'Blame Canada' and SouthPark - it is an adult cartoon here in the US where the ficitonal characters (Stan, Cartman, Kyle, Kenny - all about 7 years old going on 40) got mad at the fictional Canadian govt for fictionally prosecuting their favorite fictional Canadian TV stars (for what I can't remember), Terrence and Phillip (who are flatulently profound and just totally goofy) - and wrote a song called 'Blame Canada'.... it is an absurd and often quite hilarious TV show... so no direct offense was intended from me to you or Canada. It was a direct reference to South Park. __________________ Brenda* NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...) Nov'03~ dX stage 2B Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo. Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic! Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2 Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone) Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors. Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen. Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen. June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen. Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice. Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots. Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011. Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah. "I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."